Building adult competences in Zero Waste circular economy in Europe Erasmus Project

Project Title

Building adult competences in Zero Waste circular economy in Europe

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for adult education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Environment and climate change; Enterprise, industry and SMEs (incl. entrepreneurship); New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

The Circular Economy is important for environmental sustainabitlity. This is a system built on reduction, reuse and recycling because waste is considered a valuable resource. Used and broken products can be repaired and used again, some products can be reused directly and everything else is recycled. The Circular Economy (CE) based on zero waste is a key theme in the policies of the European Union. The CE Action Plan revised in January 2018 with polluter pay principle and aims by 2030, all plastics packaging should be recyclable, degree of recycling of municipal waste (55% by 2025, 60% by 2030, 65% by 2035) and maximum 10% waste will be disposal on landfills until 2035.
Turkey coordinate a Project titled ‘ Zero Waste’, aims to reduce the volume of non-recyclable waste. The recycling rate is 46% in the European Union countries compared with 13% in Turkey. The project aims to increase that ratio to 35% in Turkey by 2023.
The past 150 years of industrial evolution have been dominated by a one-way or linear model based on the principle of ‘take-make-waste’. This model has caused a great dependency on scarce resources, environmental pressure, and huge amounts of waste. Our planet has finite resources, incapable of sustaining the needs of a population of 9.7B people by 2050. Society needs re-think and re-design the way we work at all levels of the manufacturing process. It is therefore necessary to develop a new economic model known as the ‘zero waste circular economy’, based on the principle of not unnecessarily destroying recourses. A sustainable bioeconomy is the renewable segment of the circular economy. The bioeconomy can create the innovations and consumers cut food waste by 50% by 2030 and in the livestock sector is estimated that the land – currently used to feed animals – could feed three billion additional people. Across Europe, in response to the growing waste and climate crises we face, a growing number of cities are adopting zero waste policies and strategies.

Together with environmental benefits, a growing circular economy offers substantial potential to create jobs through lowering structural mismatch in high unemployment regions in Europe and increase materials productivity. Current employment in Europe in circular economy activities (in the repair, waste and recycling, rental & leasing sectors) is estimated to be at least 3.4 million. It is expected that CE in Europe will create green entrepneurs and 1.2 million jobs by 2030.

The concept of a zero waste CE has become popular and important issue; however, there are not innovative curriculum and particular indicators dedicated to it in regional policy for adult learners in Turkey and Europe indicators. Making the transition to a zero waste CE requires a pressing need for new skills, competences and approaches. Improving existing skills at least as important as acquiring completely new skills. Complementing general skills with zero waste CE skills can make a big difference and develop the skills needed in zero waste CE. A full transition to zero waste CE is not possible without professionals with a new way of understanding the economy, a comprehensive knowledge of the circular business models and new skills, tools and competences for developing circular strategies
The Project aims to identify the current state of development of zero waste CE in the EU zone, to create an innovative curriculum and design a guide to increase the competences of the adult learners on zero waste CE including recycling methods to meet the demands of labour market and municipalities that will aid municipalities to shift zero waste cities. The project also aims to show the self-employment, job and entreneurship opportunities of the model. We aim to build adult competences in circular design and sustainability.
The curriculum will include zero waste CE and city concept, and recycling/reuse methods for wastes of food, glass, plastics, paper, cardboard, packaging waste, textiles, metals-composite and electronic waste, and other organic wastes.
The objectives of the project is to change behaviour and ensure regions maximise recycling in the most cost-effective way through a combination of teaching, educational resources and ICT.
To reach these objectives Zero-Waste target groups are adult trainers (primary), municipalities, SMEs, and entrepreneurs and professionals interested in starting a business in a CE context.
The project will produce three original intellectual outputs:
– Baseline report, innovative curriculum and training modules for adult educators
– The ICT related resources and toolbox to support pilot training
– European Zero-Waste Handbook wirh Entrepreneurship Manual
The project timely considers the EU’s goal of amplifying The Circular Economy Action Plan, Green Economy concept, and Turkey’s Zero Waste Project, and it is anticipated to have a significant impact at both the national as well EU level.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 208292 Eur

Project Coordinator

Izmir Demokrasi Unversitesi & Country: TR

Project Partners

• FUNDACION UNIVERSITAT JAUME I-EMPRESA
• Drushtvo za trgovija, uslugi i konsalting FONDOVI, BIZNIS I INOVACII EMKICE KONSALTING DOOEL Skopje
• Karesi Belediyesi
• SWIDEAS AB
• SLOVENSKA POLNOHOSPODARSKA UNIVERZITA V NITRE
• Balıkesir University